Vipers Espape With Ninth-Straight Win

BISMARCK, NORTH DAKOTA – The defending NBA Development Leaguechampion Rio Grande Valley Vipers extended their franchise-record winningstreak to nine in a row by coming back from down 15 in the first half andgetting a lay-up from Jerel McNeal with7.6 seconds remaining to defeat the Dakota Wizards 102-100 on Friday at theBismarck Civic Center.

The gameturned into a back-and-forth affair after the Vipers took a 69-67 lead midwaythrough the third quarter. The Vipers (16-7) took a 100-98 lead after Stanley Asumnu connected on a lay-upwith 4:14 remaining. Mike Andersonhit one of his two free throw attempts to bring the Wizards within one pointwith 2:57 remaining. Darren Cooperhit one of his two free throw attempts with 21.3 seconds left to tie the game.After McNeal banked in his shot to give the Vipers the lead, the Wizards calledtimeout to advance the ball. AnthonyGoods missed a three-pointer and MikeHall missed a put-back attempt to end the game.

McNealfinished with 17 points. The Vipers were led in scoring by Jeff Adrien who finished 23 points and 14 rebounds for his 10thdouble-double in 14 games.

TheVipers jumped out to a 10-6 lead in the opening minutes after a pair of basketsby McNeal, but Hall scored seven early points as the Wizards (7-19) scored thenext 11 points as part of an 18-4 run to take a 24-14 lead. Mustafa Shakur hit a three-pointer with32.2 seconds remaining in the 1st quarter, but Maurice Baker scored seven-straight points and Cooper hit a jumperto give the Wizards their largest lead of the night at 39-24 in the openingminute of the second quarter.

Hall hita lay-up to give the Wizards a 67-61 lead with 8:09 remaining in the third, butthe Vipers went on an 8-0 run, capped by a pair of free throws from McNeal totake the lead back at 69-67 with 5:52 remaining.

TheWizards were led in scoring by Hall, who scored 27 points with 13 rebounds, andGoods, who also scored 27 points.

The Vipers andWizards return to action on Saturday at 7:00 p.m. when they face-off for thefinal time this season at the Bismarck Civic Center.